Why did Britain lose the American war of Independence? The indisputable triumph of the patriots in the American war of Independence is well documented, and popular impressions of the victory of the American David over the formidable British Goliath are widespread. As H.T Dickinson points out “numberless books have been written about how the war was won, but far fewer about how it was lost When considering the reasons why Britain lost the American War of Independence it is perhaps more important to consider not the strength of the Patriots, although this must of course be taken.